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budegrecian

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Jan 6, 2008
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3,162
Perhaps "pathway is blocked" is simply a euphemism for "not good enough" (for whatever reason).
I think that you could well be right. We've kept two young goalkeepers which tends to contradict the 'pathway blocked' argument.
 

Antony Moxey

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As someone’s already said, the club’s hardly going to say they weren’t offered contracts because they were crap. Move on, it’s not like we’ve binned Collins, Sparkes and Hartridge is it?
 

Banksy

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I would love Cox and Hanson up front together both very different players and good at what they do .Hanson is a year older than Cox but I would rate them both 8 /10 . Cox will move on pretty soon and I think Hanson might of left for non footballing reasons and will do well else where
Thanks for that Andy!
 

SaintJames

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But weren't one or 2 clubs very interested in Sonny a year or so ago? If there is just one player "blocking the pathway" then for me the pathway ain't blocked. Of course, if the club thinks he's not going to make it, that's a different story. Or if there are 2 or 3 players ahead of him also different. Anyway, we're all just armchair critics so as usual In the end we bow to the experts.
My take on this is that 'Blocking the pathway' as such is a nicer way to sweeten the pill for boys who have their dream of becoming a pro shattered. What we are seeing I think is moving away from the Ben Seymour/Jordan Dyer model which was about giving young players 3-4 years of development in the hope they will become L2 level players for our squad. The new model is reflective of our need to generate big transfer fees for players who have the capability of playing to Championship level which will generate the type of transfer fee required to keep our model running. Harry Lee, Sonny Cox and Alfie Pond have the attributes to play to that level. Whereas spending 3-4 years developing a player (and the costs associated in wages etc) for a player who is seen as having a celing must I assume not be seen as the best way forward? So although Cox is supposedly blocking the pathway of Hansen maybe he wasnt thought likely to go above L2 at best?
 

Egg

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My take on this is that 'Blocking the pathway' as such is a nicer way to sweeten the pill for boys who have their dream of becoming a pro shattered. What we are seeing I think is moving away from the Ben Seymour/Jordan Dyer model which was about giving young players 3-4 years of development in the hope they will become L2 level players for our squad. The new model is reflective of our need to generate big transfer fees for players who have the capability of playing to Championship level which will generate the type of transfer fee required to keep our model running. Harry Lee, Sonny Cox and Alfie Pond have the attributes to play to that level. Whereas spending 3-4 years developing a player (and the costs associated in wages etc) for a player who is seen as having a celing must I assume not be seen as the best way forward? So although Cox is supposedly blocking the pathway of Hansen maybe he wasnt thought likely to go above L2 at best?
Sorry don’t mean to labour a point but take, for instance, Jordan Storey, who was nowhere near the first team when he was recalled from loan amidst an injury crisis and six months later was playing in the Championship. Plainly, hopes are high for Lee, Cox, and Pond, who, at this point in time are ahead of their peers. However, there’s no certainty they’ll become established League Two players, let alone Championship ones. Remember, at one point, the likes of Jake Gosling and Jamie Reid were the best thing since sliced bread!
 

Spoonz Red E

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Where pathways are concerned it's useful to remember that due to Covid and the closure of non league football there was, in effect, a whole season 'traffic jam' in terms of our development pathways using loanouts.
 

Rosencrantz

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Sorry don’t mean to labour a point but take, for instance, Jordan Storey, who was nowhere near the first team when he was recalled from loan amidst an injury crisis and six months later was playing in the Championship. Plainly, hopes are high for Lee, Cox, and Pond, who, at this point in time are ahead of their peers. However, there’s no certainty they’ll become established League Two players, let alone Championship ones. Remember, at one point, the likes of Jake Gosling and Jamie Reid were the best thing since sliced bread!
Storey was half way through his second year as a pro when he got the chance and broke through, so almost exactly like Cheick this season who was also recalled from loan amidst an injury/illness crisis half way through his second year as a pro. They have both taken their chance. So Storey's journey has an equivalence this season.

Football is so much about getting a break and then grabbing it. To be honest I think Michael Lilley is unlucky not to be offered a deal, but the midfield is stacked and again there are those a year behind him who look very promising. As City grow as a club and the youth system keeps improving, so does the quality of youngsters who don't make it with us. There have been several who I thought was unlucky not to get a deal recently either from youth or young pro. Will Dean, Joe Belsten, Lewis Williams, Jason Pope to name a few. The local non league scene is littered with ex-City youngsters in some form or other and has never been stronger.
 

Cowshed Grecian

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I don’t know why everyone’s debating this so much,it’s pretty clear the ones released were never going to be at the level required. There’s high hopes for Lee,Cox and Pond because they have exceptional ability. The club have learnt not to hang on to players until there 21,22. Looking at it now think how much time,money and patience has been invested in Seymour who is now 23. It’s not ended well for him or the club.
 

Rosencrantz

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I don’t know why everyone’s debating this so much,it’s pretty clear the ones released were never going to be at the level required. There’s high hopes for Lee,Cox and Pond because they have exceptional ability. The club have learnt not to hang on to players until there 21,22. Looking at it now think how much time,money and patience has been invested in Seymour who is now 23. It’s not ended well for him or the club.
The same time, money and patience was invested in MJ and look where he is now. It's only really the last two and a half seasons that he has broken through. These are never black and white decisions.
 

fred binneys head

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Loving the boy Stanno
The same time, money and patience was invested in MJ and look where he is now. It's only really the last two and a half seasons that he has broken through. These are never black and white decisions.

To be fair to the club, I can’t recall a junior we’ve not offered a pro contract to that has then gone on to stardom with someone else. Some, like Jamie Reid, have made a professional career for themselves, but only in the conference / league 2. Who have we not offered a pro contract to that has then gone on to much greater things?

I’m happy to trust the club’s judgement.
 
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